Raise your hand if you’ve already finished your shopping for Christmas. If you’ve begun decorating your home, raise your other hand. nIf you have both hands raised, you look foolish in front of your screen and loved ones are probably giving you strange looks. Please lower your hands, now. Most people I know have either completed or nearly completed their Christmas shopping. Waiting until the last minute, hoping to find what you want (actually, what the receiver of the gift wants) has never been the smartest of moves and usually it’s men being held to account for procrastinating.

I am a master at procrastination but never when it comes to holiday shopping. Now days, it’s easier because I can do the majority of it online. I do recall the days of Black Friday sales where the malls and shopping centers were so crowded, I’d swear I’d never do this again. Next year? Of course there’s decorating the house as well. I swear I don’t know how some people I know do it. Their electric bill must double during these holidays. Me? Sure, I have lights up outside and in windows that are street facing but that’s mostly it for outdoor decorations. Inside is another story. Not just a tree, but probably every decoration that Walmart and/or Target sells? I have. Or have had.

I know people believe it strange for an atheist to want to decorate and celebrate Christmas. But we don’t do it to celebrate the birth of some god named Jesus, we celebrate the winter, and the family. Besides, this Jesus wasn’t born in December. The bible itself verifies that. Think about shepherds guarding their flocks, at night, in winter, in the middle east. It gets really cold in the middle east during winter and it would be foolish for any sheep herder to have his flock out all night when it’s freezing. Late spring or summer though…

I don’t begrudge Christians for wanting to believe what they want to believe, although most I’ve known would agree with my assessment that December 25th is not the day of their savior’s birth. Let those that want, sing their dongs of faith, the rest of us can enjoy our Christmas trees (a Nordic tradition), and the traditions borrowed from other peoples over the centuries. Don’t forget about that turkey (or ham) dinner Mary made for John and Jesus, with that green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing. and fresh dinner rolls.

Whenever someone questions my family celebration, I find it just as easy to question theirs. No hard feelings let’s just realize the this holiday doesn’t really belong to anyone, anymore.